Somehow I'll Make a Man Out of You
by DakotahOfManyFandoms
Summary: When Italy's behavior finally causes Germany to snap, can a new country give him a much needed crash course in being tough? Even if that country's a somewhat attractive girl? N.Italy./O.C
1. Chapter 1

"Dakotah, Dakotah, wake up Dakotah!"

Italy, who had become my walking, talking, pasta-eating alarm clock, was standing beside my bed, batting my hand between his. I pulled a pillow out from underneath my head and batted him with it.

"Don't you have a snooze button?" I complained, pulling the aforementioned pillow over my head.

"Come on Dakotah, time to get up! Germany says it's time for training!"

"Already?" I whined, looking at my clock. "It's only nine."

"Come on!" Italy pulled me out of bed by my right hand. I landed on the floor with a solid thud and said "I'm not getting up."

"But Dakotah, you have to! If you don't, Germany's going to be really really mad and you know how scary he gets when he's mad! Please Dakotah, come protect me from Germany and Mr. Russia, they scare me!"

"Ok, ok, quit your yammering." I said, getting up off the floor. "Just let me get dressed. I don't want to go to training in my nightgown."

"Oh, thank you Dakotah Island! I am so grateful to you!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm your hero, just get out so I can get changed. And how many times do I have to tell you, call me Dakotah."

Italy skipped merrily out of my room, shutting the door behind him.

"That kid got hit by the loony bus." I mumbled to myself as I skimmed through my closet, looking for my uniform. "It's so chibi."


	2. Chapter 2

It all started when explorers found an island in the water just off the British coast. Turns out that the people who lived on that island were all distant relatives of mine, so somehow, I was the ruler of that country. I named it Dakotah Island, and was immediately visited by my new neighbors Sealand and Britain. Unfortunately for them, while they were trying to convince me to join the allies, Germany showed up, followed enthusiastically by Italy and reluctantly by Japan. As soon as Italy bounded through my door, stuck his hand out and declared "I'm Italy Venciano! Ciao!" my heart dropped about fifty feet. Italy, my obsession since fourth grade, was standing in front of me. I went against my instinctive urge to glomp him and squeal, so instead I calmly said "Hi. I'm Dakotah."

Germany and I spoke for a little while, and he said he'd let me be part of the Axis Powers if I could pass some sort of test. While he was trying to think of said test, Russia came in, followed by the Baltics, who were cowering in fear behind him. Everyone else shrank into a corner, and Italy took out his white flag and started frantically waving it about. I, however, cheerfully sauntered up to him and said "Hello, I'm Dakotah Island, the newest country. You are Mr. Russia, da?"

He smiled and a purple aura surrounded him. "Da. Why are you not stuttering like everyone else?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's because I've always thought the idea of becoming one with Mother Russia was pretty cool."

"Really?"

"Of course!" I looked around him at the Baltics. "I might even be the only country who's not afraid of you."

Russia looked confused. "But what about the Baltics? They like me, right guys?"

They nodded slowly

I put my hand to my face and sighed. "Of course they do."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Dakotah. Baltics, we have to go, there is some big meeting I have to attend. Something about nuclear explosions? Oh well, something like that will never happen in my home. Come on, let us be going."

After Russia left, Germany came up to me and said "You are not afraid of Russia?"

"Of course not, he's my friend."

Italy ran up to me and hugged me. I was sent straight up into the seventh heaven of fangirl bliss. "Dakotah Island, how can you talk to Mr. Russia like that? You're so brave!"

"Hamanamanama…" I said. My brain was too caught up in the fact that Italy was draped over me like sheet to focus on pronunciation and use of real words.

"Dakotah Island, you are officially in the Axis Powers." Germany said. I simply smiled, closed my eyes and said "Pastaaaaaa!"

"Oh great, now there are two of them." Germany muttered.


	3. Chapter 3

And that's why I am now a country and preparing for Axis Power training. Germany is usually very prompt about his times: Training begins at ten and ends at four. however, he thinks it's great fun to catch us off guard by barging into Italy's room, shaking the poor kid awake, and demanding that he go into everyone else's room and have them out in the courtyard by a certain time. That was the case today. I pulled my long, black hair into a ponytail, straightened my tie, which I thought was a ridiculous thing to make a girl wear, and marched out of my room and out the front door.

"G'morning Germany, Japan."I said as I took my place in line.

Japan bobbed his head. "Good morning Dakotah-chan."

Germany simply grunted. "Count off!" he shouted.

"Uno!"

"Ni."

"Three."

"Good. Now let's begin. Today I am going to teach you all how to gas someone."

"Yay! Gassing people! Hooray!" Italy said, ignorant as always.

"All of you but Italy."

"Aww! But Germany-"

"I'll save everyone a lot of time and sanity and just say yes. But this time, follow my directions. We don't want a repeat of the grenade incident, do we?"

"No sir!"

"Good! Now, when gassing someone, it is very important that you wear a gas mask." Germany said, strapping one onto his face. Italy started to panic.

"Ahh! Germany has a scary face! Why, Dakotah, why does Germany have such a scary face?" he sobbed, clutching my arm.

"He's wearing a gas mask." I said, attempting to shake Italy off my arm.

"BUT IT'S SCARY!" Italy screamed.

"ENOUGH! Italy, if you continue blubbering like a baby, you will have to sit out. Understand?"

"Y-y-yes Mr. Germany."


	4. Chapter 4

Training went along in the usual fashion: Germany would try to teach us some new technique for killing people, Italy would be clueless, Germany would threaten to kick him out, he'd start to cry, Germany would break down and let him train, Italy would almost kill us all, and Germany would get pissed. Well, by the end of the day, I guess he'd had enough of it, because as I was jogging along the dirt road behing the courtyard, Italy came bolting down the track, screaming "Dakotah, Dakotah, Germany's going to kill me!" with Germany following right behind him. He took cover behind me as Germany reached for his throat.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, ok, what happened?" I said.

"This _schwächling _can't figure out how to hold a gun!" Germany said, using the German word for weakling.

"I didn't know the long part was supposed to go in front of you!" Italy cried from behind me.

"The barrel, Italy, the barrel!"

"What barrel?"

"You. Are. IMPOSSIBLE!" Germany shouted. He turned and walked off, muttering "Dumb as a stump."

"Whew! That was a close one, eh Dakotah?" Italy said after he had gone.

"I think he was really upset this time, Ita-chan."

"Oh, he always gets like this. He'll calm down eventually."

"I don't think he will this time. He seemed more P.O'd than usual."

"Does this mean I'll have to leave and go home? But I don't want to go home! Romano will laugh at me and I don't want my own big brother laughing at me!" Italy started to cry again.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I could help you, though!"

"Really?"

"Sure, I don't see why not. Maybe tonight after dinner. That's when Germany goes to his workshop to make cuckoo clocks. If he catches wind of this, we're both leaving."


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay, so I do it like this, right?" Italy said, holding a sword by the blade and waving the hilt around in the air.

_Facepalm._ "No." I took the sword out of his hand, turned it around, and gave it back to him. "Like this. If you hold it the other way, you're not going to hurt anyone but yourself."

"But I don't want to hurt people."

"Well, Germany wants you to, so deal with it." With this, I took out my own sword and held it out in front of me. Italy looked confused. I sighed. "Well? What are you waiting for? Fight me!"

"But I like you. I don't want to fight with you!"

"Italy, we're just…" I thought for a minute, trying to figure out how to explain it in a way he'd understand. "Playing! We're just playing. Look, these aren't even real swords. Germany won't let us have them yet." I said, bending the tip of my plastic one.

"Oh, ok!"

"Good! En garde!"

"On what?"

I thrusted my fake blade at Italy, who flailed his around in the air with an extremely pathetic look on his face. After I hit him once on the arm, he dropped his sword, knelt on the ground, pulled out a white flag, and said "Ok, ok, I fold! I fold!"

"Italy! Stop crying! It was just a game!" I pulled him up by the front of his shirt. "Get up!"

"But-"

"No buts! Do you want to go home and have Romano laugh at you?"

"No!"

I picked up his sword and forced it back into his hands. "Then I suggest we get to work."


	6. Chapter 6

I'm not really sure when we stopped training, but I do know that by the time we did, I was still beating Italy at sword fighting, but he was definitely giving me a run for my money.

"Ok! You win! I'm exhausted!" I said, plopping down on a rock.

"Yay! I win!"

"Italy, guys don't dance around chanting 'I win! I win! Yay!' unless they're under the age of seven."

"I kind of sound like a homo, don't I?"

"Yes, yes you do." I took a sip from my water bottle, then spit it out. "Ew, what is this?"

I turned the bottle around and saw German writing on the front. "Crap, I took Germany's by mistake! It's filled with beer!" I dumped the contents out behind me. "Well, that was awful. Italy?" I looked around, not seeing him anywhere. "Italy?"I looked down at my feet. Sure enough, Italy was curled up on the ground, fast asleep. I smiled. He was kind of adorable when he was asleep. I knew that coming into the house would wake Germany, so I made like an Italian and fell asleep on the ground of the wooded clearing we were in.

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><p>Ok, so I know this was really short, but I thought it was cute! I'll be honest, it was mostly filler and fluff, because I have nothing better to write. Except for the next chapter of Spirit's wish…oh well, that can wait.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

I woke up the next morning and briefly forgot where I was. Then I saw Italy, our swords, and Germany's empty water bottle and remembered it all. I also remembered something far more important than the events of the previous night: today was my first world meeting! I hurriedly shook Italy awake and we rushed to the meeting, each dreading how hopelessly late they were.

"Sorry we're late!" I said, barging into the meeting room with Italy.

"Where were you?"Germany demanded. "And why do you have leaves in your hair?"

I looked at Italy and realized it was true. In all our haste, we forgot to change clothes and brush our hair. Leaves and pine needles were all over us, and our uniforms were wrinkled and covered in dirt.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say Italy has a new girlfriend." Prussia said with a smirk on his face.

"Yeah. I mean, just look at them! Covered in leaves and dirt! We all know what _they_ were doing last night." France taunted.

I turned a brilliant shade of scarlet. "No! It's not like that! We were-"

"Enough said. Wow, would you look at that? First slut country we've ever had. Well, Ukraine is questionable, but…" Prussia smiled.

"Would you cut it out?"

"I bet you're really peeved, huh Germany?" America said.

"About what?"

"Dude, she like, totally stole your boyfriend!"

Now Germany was really mad. "I have no interest in Italy like that! I don't want to be his boyfriend! I barely want to be his friend!"

"Guys, I swear, we weren't doing anything!" I practically shouted, closing my eyes to keep tears away.

"Da! Stop it!"

I looked up. Russia was standing up at the table, looking extremely displeased. "Dakotah's not that kind of girl! And I doubt Italy is that kind of guy. So stop with the teasing."

"Yes Mr. Russia." Prussia and France whispered.

"Thank you." I said to Russia as I walked past him to take my seat.

He simply nodded at me. "You're welcome."


	8. Chapter 8

That night, Italy and I went out to train again. Italy got kind of scared of the dark, so he forced me to light a fire by curling up in a ball and refusing to get up until I did.

"Ita-chan, it occurred to me that you can't be the way you are and be taken seriously."

"What's wrong with the way I am?"

"Well, Italy…you're…you're…a wuss."

Italy just stared at me.

"All I'm saying is that you need to become more of a man, and less of a girl."

"But men are scary!" Italy pulled out his trusty white flag and waved it in the air frantically. I rolled my eyes, snatched his flag, snapped it in two over my knee, and threw it in the fire. "Rule number one of being a man," I said, "Is that men don't surrender without a fight."

I may be a girl, but I know enough from television and movies that I can safely say that I can succesessfuly teach Italy how to be a man. That's what I focused on tonight. He had a hard time with the concept that men don't end every sentence with an exclamation mark, but we worked through that…sort of. He's less of a pansy now...only a little bit, but at least I tried!

"Okay Italy, I think we better go to bed. We don't want anyone making the same assumption that France and Prussia did this morning."

"Okay! Good night Dakotah!"

"And Italy," I called after him. He turned around and looked at me. "We have training tomorrow. Don't forget what I taught you."

Italy nodded and ran off to his room.


	9. Chapter 9

"COUNT OFF!"

"Uno!" Italy said in a strict and reserved fashion. Germany looked confused, but continued on.

"Ni!"

"Three!"

"Ok, today we are going to work on out hand-to-hand combat skills." Germany looked at Italy, expecting him to say something. "Italy, don't you have something stupid to say?"

"No sir!" Italy shouted, standing at attention.

"Ok then… anyway, Japan, you will be sword fighting with me, as usual, and Italy, you and Dakotah will face off."

"Yes sir!" Italy saluted Germany, pulled out his sword, and faced me.

"Do you want me to get the first aid kit?" Japan asked.

"No, let's see how this turns out." Germany said.

* * *

><p>Italy and I fought for a while, and the more Italy won, the more astounded Germany was.<p>

"Ok! You win!" I said, sliding my sword back into its useless sheath. "I give up."

"But…Italy…you're not a pussy!" Germany said, astounded.

"I know! It's like I became a man overnight, right?"

"This is incredible! I've got to go tell the others, they're not going to believe this!"

* * *

><p>LATER THAT EVENING<p>

"GERMANY, SOMEONE'S AT THE DOOR!" I shouted from my room.

"GET IT YOURSELF, I'M BUSY MAKING WURST!"

I grumbled and plodded down the stairs. I flung open the door and said "France? Britain?"

"Hello Dakotah Island, good to see you!"

"It's bloody nice to know that you and Italy aren't off in the woods again."

I felt angry and embarrassed at the same time. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I invited them." Germany said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. "The other countries are spending the night here to celebrate the fact that Italy is no longer a weak, spineless, pathetic-"

"I think I get it." I stepped aside and led France and Britain in, wondering what I had gotten myself into.


	10. Chapter 10

I looked over at Germany. "Ok guys, I think he's asleep. What should we do now?"

"I know! Let's play a game!" Italy suggested.

"Ok." Prussia said, a smile sneaking onto his face. "Truth or dare."

"No!" I said, realizing what he was doing.

"Either that or seven minutes in heaven." He said, smirking. "With me."

I was horrified. _Nobody_ wants to be alone in a closet with Prussia for seven minutes. "You pervert." I whispered.

"Ok, I'll go first. Britain, truth or dare?" America asked.

"Dare."

"I dare you to… tell France you love him!"

"WHAT!" both France and Britain exclaimed.

"You picked dare, you have to do it!"

Britain swallowed and looked at France. Everyone was waiting with eager anticipation to hear the words that were on his lips. "France…I…love you."

"AWWWWWW!" Prussia teased. I threw a pillow at him. "Cut it out."

"Ok, my turn. Poland, truth or dare?"

"Truth." Poland said, flipping his hair.

"Are you gay?"

"Of course! I thought everyone knew that! Prussia, truth or dare?"

"Dare, of course."

"I dare you to bang your head on that wall!"

"Ok…why?"

"Just do it."

"If you say so." Prussia got up and smacked his head against the nearest wall several times before sitting down again.

"Dakotah," he said with an evil grin, "truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Do you like Italy?"

I bit my lower lip and looked at Italy, who was sitting to my right. He looked back at me, and I blushed.

"Well, uh…yes." I squeaked, turning away from Italy.

"Aha! I dare you to kiss him!" Prussia said, pointing at me.

"But I did my truth!"

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" he chanted. Gradually, all the other countries (China, Austria, Canada, Hungary, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein,) joined in. I glanced at Italy who looked extremely uncomfortable. And nervous. And very, very confused. We sat there for a few moments, awkwardly looking at each other and blushing.

"Well dude, are you going to kiss her or not?"America asked.

"No…yes…I don't know."

"Well, do something!"

I looked at Italy and found that our faces were somehow two inches away from each others. All we needed now was to-

At this point, Prussia got tired of watching and waiting, so he reached across our small circle and pushed me and Italy's heads together, taking great care to ensure that our lips met. I was going to back away-I was!- but something about the fact that his idiot curl was brushing against my face and his lips tasted like really good olive oil kept me exactly where I was for a seemingly impossible amount of time. When I finally pulled away and looked at Italy's dumbstruck face, my heart skipped a beat. "_Stupid, stupid, stupid."_ I thought. I blushed and bolted up the stairs into my bedroom, thinking _stupid, stupid, stupid, _all the way.


	11. Chapter 11

I slammed the door to my room closed and face planted onto my bed. I decided I would just lay there for a while, listening to the voices drifting up from downstairs.

"I would have been happy if I were her." Prussia said obnoxiously. "Getting your first kiss from a guy you love is pretty special."

"And how would you know, Prussia?" France said in a teasing tone of voice.

"Shut up!"

"Hey, is Italy ok? Dude? DUUUDE!" America said. I had a feeling he was waving his hand in Italy's face.

"You don't mean to say you like her back, Italy?" Prussia said, aghast.

"I…um…I like who I like!"

"I thought you liked Holy Rome!"

"That was when I was little!"

"So now you like Dakotah Island?" Austria said. "I think you should go talk to her."

"But-but-what if she doesn't want to talk to me?"

"Oh, trust me buddy, she does." Prussia said in a know-it-all fashion.

_Lie. Sort of. Not really. I just don't want to see him. _

Two sets of footsteps sounded on the stairs.

"Just ask to talk to her, Ita-chan." Austria whispered from outside my door.

"Um…ok… Dakotah? Can…can we talk?"

I was silent for a few moments. At length, I said "Ok. But Austria has to go away."

Italy cautiously opened the door and slid into my room, shooing Austria away downstairs. I pulled myself up into a sitting position and looked at Italy. Neither of us said anything to the other.

"I'm sorry, Italy." I said, feeling warmth creep into my cheeks. "I didn't know Prussia would do that."

"You said you liked me."

"What?"

"You said you liked me. Downstairs."

"Well, yeah."

"And I kind of like you. So maybe Prussia did us a favor."

"I guess. Maybe he's not such a bad guy after all." I looked around for a moment. "We should probably go back downstairs before they start getting ideas."

Italy nodded. I slipped my hand into his and we walked downstairs together. It was at that moment that I realized they could say whatever they wanted to about me and Italy; truth was, I didn't care.

* * *

><p>I wish that what I just said wasn't such a load of baloney. I also wish that the epilogue I'm about to write wasn't such a load of baloney, but what must be must be.<p>

Italy and Dakotah dated for a while, occasionally going on double dates with Canada and his girlfriend Rizu. (It's an inside thing. Go read Prussian Truth or Dare by RizuofWolves. Then you'll get it.) They eventually got married and had kids, a girl named Capri and a boy named Jaden. Capri was very interested in weapons for some reason, (Dakotah always said it was because she spent too much time with Germany when she was little,) and by age ten had her own customized pink rifle. Jaden preferred to sit inside and make white flags (Wow, didn't see that coming,).

What I just wrote is entirely fluff. *makes a sad face.* Anyway, much thanks to RizuofWolves for good piece of the inspiration for this. The link to her page is posted below, so go read her stuff. You have nothing better to do. Or do you? Yeah, I don't really care.

As much of a Jaden fangirl as I am, I had to name one of my fantasy children after him! And Capri is an Italian name…because I had to do it.

Also, I give credit to whoever owns Hetalia. Please don't send Prussia out to get me, he's actually pretty scary!

Rizu's page: .net/u/2795618/RizuofWolves

Prussian Truth or Dare: .net/s/7353888/1/Prussian_Truth_or_Dare

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><p>My computer is spazzing out and not letting me put the other stuff (it won't even let me type it!) in front of the url's for Rizu's page and story, so add it yourself, ok? Grazie!<p> 


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